Future Cities: Shaping Europe from the bottom up

The 2016 edition of EUobserver's Regions & Cities magazine looks at the cities of the future in Europe. While the EU is grappling with challenging problems - Brexit, migration, the economy, terrorism, to name a few - many European cities are reinventing themselves and tackling these problems in their own way.

STUDENT VILLAGES ON THE WATER Students will soon be able to move into converted shipping containers in Gothenburg. The architects hope to spread their idea of cheap, waterside living across Europe. By Lisbeth Kirk student beds by 2025, governments across Europe are scrambling for a solution. Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, might be an inspiration. containers that have been converted into homes. They are heated by solar power and cooled using sea water. They offer a central location, a village-type community, and low cost. CREATING NEW HOUSING AREAS Loudrup. Their idea could potentially turn thousands of kilometres of untapped harbours, rivers and canals into new housing areas. By stacking nine container units in a circle, 15 studios are created that frame a centralised common green courtyard. There is a kayak landing, bathing platform, barbecue area and a roof terrace. where we are going to build 24 of these [riggers] to form sort The housing is also buoyant like a boat, so that can be replicated in other harbour cities where affordable housing is needed but space is limited. “We can actually use these containers as building blocks to create incredibly affordable apartments that have almost Below water, there are storage rooms, a utility room and a laundry. The whole thing weighs 6 tonnes and sits 2.5m deep in the water, making it stable even when a storm passes over. Manhattan's waterfront. Photo: Lisbeth Kirk FUTURE CITIES OCTOBER 2016 — 03